Piano Interpretations

Artist: Bud Powell

Year: 1956

Genre: Bebop

Grade: B+

Bud Powell works his way through a collection of standards, yipping and hee-hawing in the background as his virtuosic piano display takes precedent. His incessant scat wailing is all the proof you need to know that the man was slowly going insane (as if “Glass Enclosure” wasn’t enough), while his off-key, Monk-influenced phrasings carry the way through a rather routine effort. At his best, Powell is capable of entering G.O.A.T. discussions; at his most average, he is still better than most anyone.